Single-dose inhalers for preparations in powder form are known which use capsules, each of which contains a dose of preparation. The capsules are inserted individually in an inhaler, which in different manners allows to break up the capsule and make the dose of preparation in powder form available for inhaling.
Inhalers of this type are known which are constituted by a container that comprises an inhaling duct, which is connected to a chamber for accommodating a capsule that encloses a drug to be inhaled. Means for breaking the capsule are associated with the containment chamber, are arranged respectively at the ends of the containment chamber and are substantially constituted by two piercing elements, provided respectively with contrast springs and with a certain number of prongs, which can penetrate, by applying pressure thereto with the fingers, into said containment chamber. At this point, the powder can exit from the capsule and be inhaled.
Inhalers of this type have several drawbacks. First of all, they are composed of a relatively large number of components, in view of the presence of the piercing prongs, of the springs and of the ends needed to operate the piercing elements. Some of these components perform a relative motion with respect to the container, and therefore malfunctions or jammings are possible. Moreover, these components require accurate assembly operations in order to be able to operate correctly, and these operations entail an increase in the costs of the inhaler, causing single-use application of the inhaler to be inadvisable.
An improvement to described inhalers has been proposed in a patent application filed by this same Applicant. The inhaler disclosed in said patent application is provided with a main body, which has an inhaling channel to which a secondary body is rotationally coupled, said secondary body comprising a receptacle in which the capsules that contain the preparation in powder form are inserted individually. The secondary body can rotate between an open position, in which the receptacle can be accessed from outside in order to insert the capsules, and a closed position, in which the receptacle is connected to the inhaling channel. The inhaler is also provided with cutting means, which are suitable to cut a portion that protrudes from the receptacle of the capsule during the rotation of the secondary body from the open position to the closed position, so that the contents of the capsule pour into the inhaling duct.
An inhaler of this type, while being cheaper, more functional and reliable than inhalers of other kinds, owing to its configuration, is not intended for single-use application, since it does not comprise a receptacle or reservoir that is suitable to contain a dose of preparation as loose powder, i.e., not enclosed in a capsule, to be released at the time of use.